querer vs amar
Both mean 'to love' — but querer is the everyday word for love and wanting, amar is deeper and more formal.
querer
To love (people, pets) and to want (things). The everyday word for both.
Te quiero.
I love you.
The standard way to tell someone you love them — partner, family, close friends. Natural and warm.
Quiero un café.
I want a coffee.
Wanting things. The same verb. Context makes love vs desire obvious.
¿Quieres que vengamos?
Do you want us to come?
Querer + que + subjunctive for wanting someone else to do something.
amar
Deeper, more elevated love — romantic, profound, or poetic. Less used in daily speech.
Te amo.
I love you (deeply).
More intense than te quiero. In Spain, te quiero is more common; in Latin America, te amo is more used in romantic contexts.
Ama su trabajo.
He loves his work.
Deep passion for something. More literary than 'le gusta mucho' or 'le encanta.'
Amarás a tu prójimo.
Thou shalt love thy neighbour.
Religious/formal register. Amar carries weight that querer doesn't always have.
Tricky bit
In Spain, 'te amo' can sound overly dramatic in a relationship — 'te quiero' is the natural thing to say to a partner. In Mexico and much of Latin America, 'te amo' is the go-to for romantic love. Know your region.